Saturday, May 31, 2014

The return of the wanderer

Well I'm back from New Zealand and can see the light at the end of a dark tunnel, all I need to do now is the myriad of paperwork required to get a visa to live there. Yes I was offered a job, but, the entry requirements are not easy so I may fall at the last hurdle, still fingers crossed etc.

Paradise on earth

First impressions of the place are the lack of an air of hostility, Auckland the capital doesn't have the feel of London, I never felt the need to be on my guard or watch my back at any time, at roughly 1 million people living in the area of the city though, the place doesn't feel overcrowded (or squalid, ghettoized, dirty, tribal etc) and outside of the city all you have are a series of what are essentially small towns which remind me a little of the USA having one main street where all the shops are and you just park where you want to go.
Yep, parking in New Zealand other than Auckland, they don't charge, they limit your time, but are relaxed about that too.
The scenery is incredible, the people friendly and whilst they have their problems, they are nothing like the scale of the UK's self inflicted ones. People are patriotic and love their country and the true evils of socialism are limited to a few lunatics whilst the system itself is far more like the looking after each other that socialism ought to have aimed for.

Yes they have a volcano on their doorstep

The Capital Auckland from one of the ferries serving the city.
As you can tell I've fallen in love with the place and hope that my visa application is succesful, it's how the UK was back in the fifties and sixties in feel. People look out for each other there and politicians are mostly kept in their place and their powers are limited. There's no council tax, you buy basically bin bags which pay for your rubbish disposal, your water rates pay for water and sewage and the rest comes off taxation which is comparable to the UK.
Anyway, wish me luck, I may need it, but the reward is going to be immense...

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

ǝɔᴉʇoN ɥsᴉɹɐԀ

Blogging will probably be a bit sparse to non-existent for the next couple of weeks as I'm off to new Zealand to visit my step-daughter and grandchildren. Oh I also have a few job interviews too, so hopefully...
I have to admit looking forward to seeing some different skies and a new way of life, the big downside for me has been that owing to having to do this quickly Lady QM won't be travelling with me.
Still, I'm off to the land of the Kiwi's, laden with gifts and items the relatives weren't able to take with them and I won't be looking forward to coming back.
The bloody local council had better hurry up with my postal vote too...


Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Sounds like socialist thinking...

Some days I feel the left, or socialists come from a different planet to the rest of us, a bit like teenagers I suppose. Other days I'm quite sure and unlike teenagers, they never seem to grow up or gain the wisdom that only age can bring (growing old disgracefully doesn't count, at least we know better) So it came as no surprise that Labours favourite think tank came up with this...
Mail.
Labour’s favourite think-tank (the Institute for Public Policy Research) has declared a new war on the motorist with draconian Big Brother pay-as-you-drive tax plans to force middle class drivers to pay more per mile to drive their cars than poorer ones.
Spy-in-the-cab black box technology would be used to track each car’s mileage by GPS satellite and to calculate the tax charge every time the driver fills up at the garage to encourage ‘behaviour change.’
It says the Government’s Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) should be linked to HM Revenue and Customs records so that drivers could be charged automatically according to their income level – with wealthier motorists paying more.
Where the hell do you start? Talk about a target rich environment...
First they assume that a spy in the cab will actually be popular, which it only would be if it reduced the cost of motoring (anyone want to take a bet on that?) rather than keep the revenue stream to the Inland revenue going.
Secondly the assumption that anyone on a higher income actually has spare cash floating around, some do, some don't yet they'd trust the taxman's data to presume that  some people should pay extra.
'Encourage behaviour change' has echoes of the old Soviet tactic of sticking you in a gulag for twenty or so years in order to encourage you to respect the state a little more. Essentially I suspect that means they want to force you out of your car (whether you need it or not) and onto public transport whether it goes to your destination or not.
Truly this stems from the politics of envy where those who have worked hard to get a good job are being penalised to provide for everyone else simply because they are doing well. Oddly enough it was Labour who introduced a graduated road tax which oddly enough penalised the less well off who drive older less efficient cars, now they are going after the better off and somehow believe they'll take the rest of us with them...
Oh the Tories took the lead for the first time in an opinion poll yesterday... can't think why.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Sounds like Foreign Office influence

The UK Civil Service often enough acts like a world of its own where it takes a view opposite that of the population of the UK as a whole as it deals with foreign countries. Not for nothing is the Foreign Office known as the 'Camel Corps' in its dealing with the Middle east and its opposition to the state of Israel often in direct opposition to UK government policy.Other departments also have a distressing habit of using past precedent to justify its current activities again often in direct opposition to government policy in using officialese language rather than common sense.
Express.
FALKLAND Islands officials were last night said to be “seething with fury” after being repeatedly sent documents addressed to the “Malvinas”.
Furious MPs at Westminster were blaming “political correctness” for purchase ledgers and invoices sent from Whitehall carrying the Argentinian name for the South Atlantic UK territory.
After sheepish Home Office officials blamed the gaffe on a glitch with its computer software, one disbelieving MP asked: “Where did they buy it from? Buenos Aires?”
Labour MP Thomas Docherty also challenged Foreign Office minister Hugo Swire to ban all government departments from using the name which could be seen as encouraging Argentina’s claim to the islands.
Ah yes, political correctness where moves to not offend someone often enough end up offending everyone. Still you'd think that the term 'Malvinas' would be utterly anathema to those running the government particularly as we've shed blood in keeping them. There's also the fact that the islanders themselves voted overwhelmingly (98%) to remain as part of the UK's overseas territory, the sort of landslide you come to expect in 'socialist democratic' states and various Arab dictatorships, though in this case quite genuine.
Nor do I believe computer glitch for a second, this was quite deliberate and the term was put there to 'ease' diplomatic relations when dealing with South America over issues to do with the Falklands. That it ended up in Home Office documentation is probably that the software is used by all Departments and hence has its roots in officialese, the obscure language of the Civil Service where nothing is quite what it appears to be and different rules apply.
I've no doubt certain civil servants would love to be rid of the Falkland Islands and palm them off to Argentina if only to save money to use elsewhere to decorate their offices. The Falkland however remain ours and should be treat with respect both in language and documentation.
That the Civil service cannot seem to do so tells you everything you need to know about their higher offices.

Sunday, May 11, 2014

One in a million

Language and mores change over the years and what was acceptable in the past is no longer acceptable now. That's not to say that the likes of the current round of sex cases from forty years ago being dredged up by the police are innocent, but, at the time it was an accepted attitude for the 'glitterati' to behave with their adoring fans. Being basically mobbed by fans and taking advantage of them or your position whilst not exactly accepted, was ignored as just one of those things. people didn't complain unless it was gross or extreme and there were so many blind eyes around that I'm surprised we weren't walking into lampposts far more often.
Yet even now, people try to apply the morals and rules of today on what was said or done in the past and as ever in a politically correct society, breach the rules of today by broadcasting something said over eighty years ago can have consequences...
Telegraph.
The BBC was facing criticsm last night after it forced a radio presenter to resign after he unwittingly played a song containing a deeply offensive racist slur.
David Lowe, a veteran radio broadcaster, played a song on his show which, unbeknown to him, contained a phrase using the N-word.
When a listener complained Mr Lowe offered either to apologise on air or resign. His BBC managers initially said he would have to resign, but after the affair threatened to become public the corporation underwent a sudden about turn and has now stated he can have his job back.
However the broadcaster said he had been left so stressed by the BBC’s attitude that he no longer feels well enough to continue working.
No, they didn't sack him, they were prepared to accept his resignation, but the whole procedure seems to have left the guy with a stress related incident for playing something that was originally recorded in 1932. One person complained saying they were deeply offended and the whole politically correct procedure goes into overdrive and leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. A quiet word of don't play that again would have sufficed, instead it took the fact that the matter was about to become public to make the BBC do an about face and tell the guy that he didn't need to resign when they'd been more than willing to let him and brush the matter under the politically correct carpet.
We should never judge the past by modern standards, they thought differently, acted differently and what might have been acceptable then for all it is not acceptable now needs to be appreciated in context (and vice versa)
I believe Mr Lowe made an honest mistake, yet paid the price for a heavy handed enquiry into his actions. He didn't even need to apologise, though it might have mollified the horrified listener (though I suspect they are permanently horrified at anything politically incorrect) The record is as it is and considering what modern rap artists scream out when singing is rather mild. Still we can't have 'ol whitey' getting away with the N word now can we?
It's clearly reserved for the N people themselves...

Saturday, May 10, 2014

No moral obligation

There are certain idiots out there who don't understand how taxation works, particularly with regards to the terms tax evasion and tax avoidance. The first is illegal, you have to pay the tax you legally owe, the second is perfectly legal and is pretty much what most successful companies do in structuring their businesses to run as efficiently as possible.
Mail.
Amazon paid just £4.2million in corporation tax last year despite record UK sales of £4.3billion – meaning it paid a nominal rate of just 0.1 per cent.
Margaret Hodge, Labour chairman of the Commons Public Accounts Committee branded the figures an ‘outrage’, and called on shoppers to boycott the firm.
She said: ‘Amazon should pay their fair share of tax. I no longer shop at Amazon, people should shop elsewhere.’
Mrs Hodge recalled a boycott of Starbucks two years ago, after it emerged the company paid just £8.6million in corporation tax in 14 years of trading in Britain.
The action prompted the coffee chain to offer to pay the taxman £20million over two years – a move that has not yet been repeated by Amazon.
But Mrs Hodge suggested the firm could be pushed into reviewing its tax bill, saying: ‘What we demonstrated with Starbucks is the power of the consumer voice.’
Amazon are being sensible here and following the rules, they are not really worried about a boycott that the idiot hodge is proposing because unlike Starbucks they don't cater to a small elite of customers. What Hodge is suggesting is that Amazon should hand its cash over and above what it legally owes to the government for the government to spend on what the government wants which is pretty much a byword for waste and inefficiency. Nor will changing the law on taxation work, the way Amazon do it is within EU rules, not UK ones and unless we leave the EU... but few politicians are suggesting that (mores the pity)
To my mind Amazon have a moral obligation (as do the rest of us) to minimise every penny we give to the government, they do not have a moral obligation to give them a penny more than absolutely necessary nor does bitching about it in the MSM make a difference to my mind. Yes they only pay 0.1% tax, I wish I could, but I'm not jealous or greedy, that's simply good business on their part and they are following the rules, rules that the government and the previous government of which Hodge was a part of agreed too.
Hodge should also consider the problem to the workers Amazon does employ in the UK if a boycott begins and Amazon goes under...

Friday, May 9, 2014

Sticky fingers

Seems that our MP's are a tad worried by the fact that the taxman or HMRC has gained additional powers in the budget to go raiding our bank accounts without our permission or the permission of a judge too.
I have to admit it bothers me that anyone can touch my money without my permission, I have enough problems with the bank asking me questions when I make a large withdrawal, it really is none of their business what I do with it and I'm unhappy enough with the government via the taxman ripping me off by grabbing so much in income tax and national insurance not to mention VAT and the other sales taxes they bandy about.
Telegraph.
Innocent people face having money taken straight out of their bank accounts under draconian powers to be used by the taxman, MPs warn on Friday.
A Treasury plan to allow HM Revenue and Customs to remove cash from bank accounts without a court order is “very concerning” because of its history of mistakes, a Commons committee said.
In a consultation document this week, HMRC said the "direct recovery" powers could be used to take money from joint accounts.
The tax authorities admitted this week that about 17,000 people a year would be targeted under the new measures, set out in the Budget and designed for use against people who owe them money.
But today the Commons Treasury committee says that taxpayers could suffer “serious detriment” if officials are able, either by mistake or through an “abuse” of power, to take money from people who have done no wrong.
Yes, it's not like the inland revenue are infallible, nor are they known for their patience, I can imagine a scenario where they grab the cash and hold onto it whilst an appeal or other proceedings are occurring. Nor would I expect them to simply target their victim announced debtor, the funds in the account may actually be a partners, their children or others held in trust and if they simply grab it without a judge hearing an explanation others could suffer (and probably will)
Giving HMRC this sort of power is akin to letting a kiddy loose in a sweet shop without supervision, they'll simply not be able to help themselves. Seems that putting your cash in the banks (of the UK) is a big mistake, I can see a day coming where overseas banks may become the choice of many, at least the taxman won't be able to get at them quite so easily (so long as they aren't in the EU)

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Straining credibility

The continued witch-hunt against Ukip goes on, with puff pieces in most MSM outlets trying to stick the knife in one way or another, although they are really straining credibility now. Accusations of racism, corruption, using actors in their adverts (like every other party) the list goes on.
Clearly racist
Mind you, there was a new one today which caught my eye and showed just how bloody stupid the complainer is...
Mail.
Ukip faced fresh accusations of double standards today amid claims Eastern Europeans have been hired to hand out flyers in its anti-immigration election campaign.
Latvians have been hired by a firm in Croydon to hand out flyers ahead of elections on May 22.
It follows revelations the party used an Irish actor in a poster about Brits missing out on jobs, as David Cameron today stepped up his attack on Ukip, accusing his rivals of not believing the country has a bright future.
Silly thing is, it would have been illegal to advertise to use UK only people to deliver the fliers and I very much doubt Ukip could (or would) ask to vet the staff that an agency would use. Tory MP Gavin Barwell who accused the party of hypocrisy I suspect knows this but chose to make a fool of himself in his quest to make a headline anyway.
You'd think by now the big three would have realised that this campaign of muckraking is having the opposite effect to the one they wanted it's actually rallying support to Ukip and putting people off voting for the big three. There's a sense of circling the wagons from Ukip supporters as well as a rush of support from unexpected quarters (the indigenous working class) who don't see what the odd-ball Ukip candidates as being racist or extremist at all as they live with the bloody problems that the candidates were describing.
There are hints of desperation coming through clearly from the main parties, they clearly are struggling with the concept that a very large minority of people do not like the EU and are being joined by many who simply do not like the mainstream parties and their out of touch policies and rhetoric at all. People are sick and tired of being told all is well when it clearly is not, those same people know just who is to blame as well, it isn't Ukip.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

So why do we pay road tax?

One of the biggest grouses drivers have is that the amount they pay in road tax is not the amount spent on roads and road improvements. Yes I know all tax simply goes into a giant pot and is doled out as needed (or often enough unneeded) by the government to support itself in the manner it wants to. So when select committees come out with stuff like telling the country that they need toll roads to help pay for infrastructue payments then I get irritated...
Express.
A Transport Select Committee report said investment needs to increase “substantially” during the next decade.
Traffic levels on motorways and A roads are predicted to rise 46 per cent by 2040.
MPs warned that revenue from fuel duty and vehicle excise duty is likely to drop, meaning road expenditure will “require new funding streams”.
One option would be continental-style toll charges on new roads or the use of tracking devices to charge vehicles for every mile they travel.
Actually the tracker thing is more down to the EU and trying desperately to find a way to pay for and use its costly and useless Galileo gps wannabe satelite system as the American one is in place and works better. As any tracking system used would most likely be the Galileo one by EU directive, guess why MP's are keen on road tracking as an option.
Thing is though with road toll's no one trusts the government to come up with a fair system, they proved that on the M25 Thames crossing at Dartford where the tolls were only supposed to be in place until the bridge was paid off. Naturally this was reneged upon and the tolls are still in place along with odd excuses that somehow or other the choke point caused by the toll booths was a traffic calming measure or that the funds raised would go into road improvements for the local county (they didn't) Currently they're busy removing the toll booths and fitting registration cameras for a pay by phone system, so, so much for the traffic calming measure...
Essentially the government won't use the revenue they raise from motorists to pay for new road infrastructure and improvements, they'd much prefer to grab more from motorists to directly fund them whilst pocketing the other cash they currently get for other things.
Then they wonder why we don't trust them with money.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Sick in the head

The wilful evil of some of those on the left knows no bounds, they are so convinced that what they believe is right that no underhand or disgustingly barbaric act cannot be justified in their twisted little world. They in the form of the UAF (Unite all fascists?) and their political masters the Socialist Workers Party (google sex scandals to see how bad they are) have in the past aligned themselves with child molesters, paedophiles, murderers, rapists, thieves, have tried to shut down debate by violence and generally made a mockery of civilised behaviour in the UK.
At the moment though the cause celebre of the left is Ukip and the evil little scrotes have come up with a wizard wheeze to get at the political party they despise...
Mail.
Ukip has been forced to scrap a freepost address - after receiving packages containing blood and faeces.
Nigel Farage's anti-EU party, which is currently leading the polls for the European elections later this month, has been inundated with packages from hostile voters.
The party used a freepost address on a leaflet for a campaign in Norwich in 2010 in a bid to drum up support.
On Twitter the local party posted a memo which read: 'You may be aware that there have been incidents of inappropriate mail items being sent to a UKIP Freepost address.
'This includes items which are prohibited (such as blood/human faeces) and present a health and safety risk both to you and our Royal Mail colleagues.
Now whilst I have no problem with Ukip shooting themselves in the foot by using a freepost address and getting bulky items and junk mail sent to it, you have to draw the line at biohazards. Only the truly sick of mind would do something like this endangering not only the letter openers, but those handling the letters and parcels as well.
Yes I'm blaming the left, the twitter trail suggests its them playing sick games rather than disgruntled Tories and it fits with the sort of spoiled brat mentality that they never seem to grow out of.
Yet the weird thing is, all the muck they throw (and apparently send) at Ukip only seems to increase their popularity, you'd think they'd learn. Though as this is the left we're talking about, they probably never will, their world is fixed with absolutes and anyone outside the vision they have is incomprehensible to them and needs to be dealt with, violently if necessary.
Still, at least they'll get a good drubbing in the Euro elections, not that it will stop their little activities, but it will give most of the UK an opportunity to let the left know what they think of their stupid little games. (as well as kicking the EUphiles in the nuts)

Monday, May 5, 2014

And they wonder why people have contempt for the law...

Respect for the law is at an all time low in the UK simply because judges don't do their jobs by offering soft sentences. Such things as political correctness and a desire to not appear 'racist' also means that to many of the indigenous population, there appears to be a two tier system in operation, where the colour of your skin or your chosen religion might jut mean your sentence is far lighter than one that would be received by 'ol whitey'.
Still, this one came as a bit of a surprise...
Express.
A MOTORIST jailed after a high-speed police chase has escaped losing his licence for ever despite already being banned 39 times.
Andrew Bage, 46, had an “appalling” 211 convictions including 39 for driving while disqualified and without insurance.
Recorder Graeme Cook told him: “This is one of the most serious cases of dangerous driving I have ever come across. There is no remorse and your record is appalling.”
He jailed the landscape gardener for 15 months and disqualified him for four years. But he chose not to use his discretionary power and take away his licence for good.
Clearly this guy is an utter loon, a car or other road vehicle driven without due care and attention is a lethal weapon and driving whilst drunk makes it even worse. This is one of the cases where if the guy shows no remorse then the sentence needs to be open ended until the authorities are pretty damned certain he won't be a danger to the public again.
Now whilst I have my doubts about speed restrictions, speed cameras, as well as the amount of alcohol in your system being dangerous, clearly this guy is not safe to be allowed in a vehicle, hell he doesn't appear to be safe to be allowed out of the house at times.
Before Bage was led to the cells, the judge also ordered him to pay a £100 victim surcharge and said the money must be paid within 18 months. But Bage defiantly replied: “Not by me!”
Sounds about right, we're going to pay it out of his benefits.
Somehow I suspect once he's released he'll be caught again, I doubt revoking his license permanently would work, this guy probably needs taking out and shot as a waste of space.


Sunday, May 4, 2014

Telling us what to do...

Political parties seem to attract bansturbators, authoritarians, idiots and unprincipled rogues who once in power tend to vote for any set of measures which force people into doing things their way rather than leaving us alone to sort out our own path. Take the current wars on alcohol, fatty food, tobacco, etc, all backed by the government and all lobbied for by groups more or less funded by the government to tell the government what they want to hear. The Tories are pretty bad, but when it comes to really wanting to control what we do with ourselves, well you need to see what Labour is planning...
Telegraph.
The Labour party has drawn up tough new measures to limit the sale and promotion of cheap alcohol, unhealthy food and tobacco, leaked documents revealed
Ed Miliband plans to impose tough restrictions on the sale and advertising of alcohol, junk food and tobacco if he wins power, it was claimed.
The Labour leader’s plan would end the £300million sports sponsorship by drinks firms and impose minimum alcohol pricing to try cut down on the damaging effects of heavy drinking on people’s health.
The blueprint, revealed in documents leaked to the Mail on Sunday, also proposes new laws to limit the amount of sugar, fat and salt in food aimed at children, and a ban on advertising unhealthy products on TV before the 9pm watershed.
Drawn up by Andy Burnham, the shadow health secretary, the plans are reported to have sparked a backlash within the party led by Blairite Chuka Umunna, who has been tipped as a successor to Miliband.
Supporters of Mr Umunna are worried the plans will appear ‘anti business and interventionist’, the Mail on Sunday reported.
I think they ought to be more worried about what the general public think of their measures given Labours shrinking lead in the opinion polls, though I suspect what the actual public think never crosses their minds save occasionally at election time.
Minimum alcohol pricing as I've said in the past is a none starter, not unless the Labour Party are going to take us out of the EU, they aren't, so it's not going to happen, it's just words.
As for being anti-business, well these are leftards we're talking about, most have never run a business and a hell of a lot believe in magic money tree policies and spend money we haven't got because they can always get more by borrowing or stealing the family silver.
However it's the idea that they can force us to forego our pleasures by removing them from our grasp that gets my goat and the fact that it's the same tired old excuses they come out with. Why the hell can't they just leave us alone to sort out our own lives? Then again they've infantilised a lot of the population to expect the government to do something, to pay their benefits to help them out, however poorly the government seem to do it. They always penalise the majority to deal with a minority problem, they abhor drunken behaviour from a few, so they up the price of booze for all. They say there are too many obese people around, so they penalise the not obese by removing their pleasures too, they declared war on cigarettes, smuggling went through the roof.
Whatever the dead hand of government does always produces unexpected (to them) results as people fight back or find alternatives.
They should leave us alone to sort out our own problems...

Saturday, May 3, 2014

For years we warned them...

I and my peers the bloggers of the so called right that is...
Seems that the islamist plot to infiltrate schools where they have a majority of pupils is not just limited to Birmingham in the same way that child grooming by muslims wasn't limited to Rochdale who with the Cyril Smith allegations now looks to be the child abuse capital of Britain.
Still, the saddest part is, that it comes to no surprise to those of us who started reporting and in the case of other bloggers actually investigating what was actually going on.
Telegraph.
Concern of 'Trojan Horse' plot spreads to three more state primaries as head teachers' leaders voice concerns for the first time over the Islamic infiltration at schools in Birmingham
Schools across Britain are likely to have been targeted in an alleged Islamist plot to take over classrooms, head teachers have warned.
The National Association of Head Teachers said it had found “concerted efforts” to infiltrate at least six schools in Birmingham.
But the union also said that the scandal had “connections” to other large cities.
The Telegraph understands that there are growing concerns about the possible infiltration of schools in Bradford, Manchester and parts of east London.
The acknowledgement from the professional body follows a series of exposés by The Telegraph which disclosed how a “Trojan Horse” plot in Birmingham had put schools under pressure illegally to segregate classrooms and change teaching to reflect radical Islamic beliefs.
On Friday, Ofsted confirmed that its investigation had spread from 18 to 21 schools in the city. The three additional schools are primaries.
In a statement, the head teachers’ association said attempts had been made to “alter their character in line with the Islamic faith”, including sidelining parts of the curriculum and attempting to influence the appointment of Muslim staff.
The phrase 'give them an inch' springs to mind somewhat.
This is the direct result of pandering to a group whose agenda was well known and who were allowed by the powers that be in the authorities both local and national to be immune to prosecution because of their skin colour in some cases and their religion in others as it was deemed to be racist and politically incorrect to even mention the problems they were causing.
The problems we have now are a direct result of the policies promoted by those who saw multiculturalism as the be all and end all. Rather than insisting in integration, they left whole communities to set up more or less as laws unto themselves with a sharp rise in unacceptable (to the indigenous population) practices including misogyny, homophobia, female genital mutilation, religious extremism, child abuse (of other cultures children) and a massive drain on the countries finances as money was thrown at organisations they ran to encourage their behaviour and shield them from criticism!
Indeed any attempt to criticise was howled down, groups like the EDL were hounded in the press and by the police, attacked violently in the streets by the thugs of the UAF and derided in parliament until eventually the lid blew off and the stench of the islamists activities could no longer be hidden.
Yet why do I have the feeling that eventually there will be an attempt to brush it under the carpet, it's almost like the powers that be want an ignorant religion obsessed underclass to play with...
Perhaps that is the plan...
Then again I doubt they'd like what happens if it does come to fruition, islamic states tend to be violent shitholes, even for the very rich and well off.

Friday, May 2, 2014

No you can't

David Cameron has promised he will make sure an EU referendum takes place according to the BBC, clearly a case of big words from a little man running scared of Ukip prior to the EU elections. With Ukip running high in the polls at the moment because of the elections coming up and being seen as a protest vote against the current coagulation by those who cannot bring themselves to vote for the Millipede's party Cameron has decided to promise something he cannot deliver unless he's the Prime Minister after the next General Election.
BBC.
David Cameron is to promise to "make sure" UK voters get a referendum on whether to leave the European Union.
Launching the Conservatives' campaign for the local elections taking place later this month, the prime minister will argue that this is a "fundamental principle" for his party.
Mr Cameron will say Labour "won't" deliver a referendum and UKIP "can't".
He will also argue that he has a record of "standing up" to Brussels over eurozone bailouts and EU budgets.
Councils in many parts of England will be holding polls on 22 May in England, the same day as elections for the European Parliament.
Mr Cameron, who is keen to prevent a surge in votes for UKIP - which campaigns for a withdrawal from the EU - will discuss the subject when he addresses Tory activists in the Midlands.
Weasel words as the next Parliament cannot be bound by the decisions of the previous one and currently Cameron is unlikely to be Prime Minister after the next election so this is an empty promise which looks good on paper but is essentially undeliverable unless he wins. Hence there is no 'will' make sure at all, simply a statement of what he 'might' do as we all know what a politicians promises are worth, particularly Cameron with regards to his beloved EU.
So running scared of Ukip are the establishment that amidst the smears there were some clues as to how the powers that be actually regard some of us...
Express.
UKIP voters need to be "educated" about the "lies" and "xenophobia" of Nigel Farage's party, Labour's former European Parliament leader has claimed.
Glyn Ford, who led the Labour group in Brussels from 1989 to 1993, believes pro-Europeans can "blunt" Mr Farage's victory in May's European election but only if they "reclaim" the EU issue.
His comments come in a special report written for left-wing think tank the Centre for Labour and Social Studies entitled "How can the European left deal with the threat posed by xenophobia?"
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Mr Ford was asked if he considered Mr Farage to be xenophobic.
"Yes, I do," he replied.
"He's not the worst, the nasty people are the ones who are trailing behind him."
He added: "Ukip are the BNP without the bother. They don't have a violent streak."
Mr Ford said he did not believe Ukip voters were xenophobic, but left-wing politicians such as himself "haven't been out campaigning".
"We haven't educated people as to what they are all about - Ukip voters need to be educated."
In other words people who vote Ukip are bigoted, ignorant or thick and they 'need' to be re-educated to vote socialist/mainstream because only the ones currently in control understand the real issues of why we should have our lives run by the unelected bureaucrats from Brussels.
Glynn Ford is a classic example of how the political classes think, they know best and the rest of us should put up and shut up. The EU and the establishment including the moronic egg throwing violent left absolutely hate the idea that people have their own minds and don't fit in with their cosy vision of a grey drab future for all but those in their comfy little club. The want to educate us to see their vision despite the fact that they despise us for having the power to vote them down (but not out of power unfortunately)
In the end I doubt Ukip can win an election, but they certainly can upset the apple cart to an extent that Cameron can make a promise he's unlikely to keep and Glynn Ford can tell us all that we need to be 'educated' because we don't share their vision of the future.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

I thought it was illegal anyway

Seems moves are afoot to attempt to block interpreters from being placed in polling stations because there are indications that they have been abusing their position in not just telling people who can't speak English how to vote, but who to vote for.
Telegraph.
The “integrity of the ballot box” is under threat because councils are allowing interpreters in polling stations, a minister has said.
Voters who do not speak English are at risk of being pressured or influenced by translators, undermining local democracy, Brandon Lewis said.
It follows allegations of “remarkable swings” to Labour in recent elections in Tower Hamlets, East London, in cases where it is claimed Bengali interpreters wrongly directed people on how to vote.
Mr Lewis, the local government minister, said council officials, the police and the public are unable to scrutinise the electoral process if officials are speaking to voters in a foreign language.
He told the Commons: “In light of previous instances of electoral fraud, including impersonation in polling stations, postal voting irregularities and allegations of improper influence, Ministers in this department have concerns about the practice of allowing foreign language translators or interpreters inside polling stations.
Cllr Peter Golds, the leader of the Conservative group, claimed a council-employed translator had instructed Bengali women to support Ken Livingstone in the 2008 mayoral election and had checked ballot papers after they had voted to ensure it was “correct”.
Certain wards saw “remarkable swings” where translators were employed, Cllr Golds alleged in a letter to the Electoral Commission sent earlier this month. There is no suggestion Mr Livingstone was aware of any wrong-doing.
Why am I not surprised by the fact that it was Labour who benefited?
I was under the impression (apparently wrongly) that the only people allowed in a polling station were the presiding officers and police and that no one else including party workers were allowed. So having an interpreter available seems like a breach of the law anyway, particularly in the light of quis custodiet ipsos custodes (who guards the guardians) when the presiding officers and the police have no idea what is being said to the voter.
Like the millions spent wasted on foreign language translation in this country, this is a practice that need to be stopped, if you don't know enough of the language to be able to interpret how to vote that's your lookout and there ought to be no one available save those who are legally obliged to be there in a polling station. After all, there's the suspicion that if you can't interpret the polling form, you won't know who your candidates were anyway.
As English is the recognised language of this country, then it should be the only language permitted on official forms and for official business. You want to speak Urdu or Gujarati in your own home, fine, but when dealing with the rest of the country you speak the language that the country speaks.
Otherwise there is the suspicion that by pandering to your laziness, the above happens.